Filing cabinet



R. WELLS FILING CABINET oct. 29, 1946.

Filed Oct. 19, 1944 INVENTOR vlLZ/qyET/V'eZhi,

a F 1 Z i 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY @i WMM@ R. E. WELLS FILING CABINET oct. 29, 1946.

Fiied oct. 19 1944 5 sheets-sheet l4 Vlr/11... .Infini ww ,mw m WNSMW wv mw @Nl XN j nu 'TUN Jllrwl 11111 INNHIH* n@ om om 1 my INV ENT OR.

BY h-, WLM f "m Oct. 29, 1946. y v R, E, WELLS 2,410,255

FILING CABINET Filed oct. l19, 1944 5 sheets-sheet 5 INVENTOR. RayEmgzvz,

Patented Oct. 29, u1946 i STATES PATENT oFFlCtE Metal 4vConstruction Company,

Jamestown,

N. Y;, a corporation of Massachusetts Application -`October 19, 1944;' Serial No. 559,349

This. invention relates to a novel and improved cabinet for the vliling of records: Qn both faces of drawer panels which are reversible when withdrawn fromthe cabinet. The invention aims to improveupon cabinets of this classv asY heretofore proposed, andcomprehendsseveral;y novel features contributing to the ease, convenience, and certainty of handling and operating the panels While attached to the housing, removingthem from the housing for inspection and recording elsewhere, and restoring thgem to the housing.

The inventionY will best beunderstbod by reference to theA following description when taken in connection with'A the. accompanying drawings of one specific embodimentthereof, while its scope will be pointed out more particularly in the ap pended claims.

In the drawings: f

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a filing cabinet embodying the invention ;2 Y

Fig. 2 is a side elevationI of a portion ofthe cabinetwith two panels WithdrawnY from the housing to illustrate the. mode of operation;

Fig. isaplan ofa portion ofthe cabinet, with a. panel withdrawnrom the housing and skewedlaterally as in detaching; and reattaching;l

FigJl is a. plan, partly ini horizontal section, showing the fronty portion of -the housing and a panel withdrawn therefrom; i

Fig. 5y is a sectional view on linek lf3-#5* of Fig. 4;y

Fig. 6 is a sectional view-on an' enlarged scale on line 6 5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a sectional'view onl on line "l-l of Fig; 4;

Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the panel' support on an enlarged scale;- f

Fig. 9 is a sectional view online 9 9 of Fig. 4;v `7 Flg. vlllis a'rsectional view on "an on-` line llllll *of* Fig. 4;

Fig. 1I is a sectional View on an enlarged scale online Il 4l l10f Fig. 4;' "g.- 12 is a plan ofone of the xed guides within the housing.; l

Fig. 13 isv aplan o one of thepanel-supporting slides: which are'guided by ther fixed guides;

an enlarged'scale on an enlarged scale enlarged scale 11 "(naims.A (C1. 1o-.102)

on liney Il-Il of Fig. 1l illustrating thepanel locking means; l Fig. 18 is-a vertical cross-sectional View of. the same on lineylr-S-Isof Fig. 1,7; and Y Fig. 19 is a 'horizontal ysectional View on line Ie-IS of Fig. 1'7; Referring to the-drawingsl and tothe embodiment of the invention illustrated therein as an example, and having reference at rst more particularly to Figs. 1- andy 2, there isf shownA a tiling cabinet comprising a lower or basesection 20 having adrawer 22 provided Ywith a handle 2,4; and a main or upper section 2li having at its front anopening' 28vat which the frontsv of drawer panels having handlesk 3,2 are presented to View. The base section ris important lo-rytwo reasons; iirst, its drawer provides a rest for the drawer panels when inclined downwardly, and, second, it Velevates the upper section sufficiently (see Fig. 2) togpermit even the lowermost; drawer panel-*to be rotatedeabout a horizontal axis and reversed withoutl detachment from the housing.

The panels are suitably constructed for the l. ing of records on both sidesrthereoi. (see Fig. 6) asby providingeach with a central plate 34lhaving one or more. pai-rs of channeled guides; 36 secured theretovtof receive the ends of appropriate filingelements such Aas flexible name slips 38` (see Fig. 4)'. The" panel has a front bar 40 (see- 10) to which the plate-34 is suitably securedas -by a ilangellZ on the plate welded to the front bar.

, Thepanel has a rear bar lid-(see Fig. 7) secured Fig.j14,is a' Vertical sectional View l'illustrating I in like manner by a flange 46.

; side up and reversedv at will,v itis supported-onI a panel support,y herein atransverse barrllY (see Fig. 4) .by a swivel Connection such as Va pivotll, best shown. in-Fig llypassed through the barsytllv and d8- andheaded over atV both ends to keep it in. place.V Preferably the pivot is xed in the bar 44 and turns in the barv 118.v Thusv thepanel is mounted on the panel support to turn aboutv an axis extending lengthwise of Athe` lateraledges of the panel. Turning movement of thepanel in opposite directions aboutthis axis is limited -by appropriate meanssuch as astop pin` 52 (see Fig. '7) whichtravels in an arcrA--A (see Fig. 5) and entersieith'er of two notchesy 54 inthe bottom of the panel supporting bar 43. y

.',ITo retain thepanelin either position and to maintain its registration withitsv support,th ere is .provided Yan appropriate releasable -,detent suchas a `round-ended plunger ,5.5, (see Fig. 19,)v working 4in a guide 58 in the panel. support yieldingly pressed. outwardly by a spring-,6B into engagement with a depression 62 in the bar 44 on the rear end of the panel. Application of suflicient force to turn the panel in the proper direction will cause the round end of the detent plunger to ride out of the depression and to re enter it. It is desirable that the panel, in addition to being reversible as described, shall be capable of rocking up and down.(see Fig. 2). One convenient way of accomplishing this is to provide the panel support 48 with alined trunnions 64 (see Fig. 8) supported by and arranged to turn on further panel supporting means now to be described.

Though the panel 30, when vwithin the housing may, and herein does, continue to derivey some support from the panel support 48, actually said panel support plays no real part in the support of the panel and may be disregarded. The real supporting means for the panel, when within the housing, is two separate and distinct and independently movable slides 66 (see Fig. 15) each having an upper flange 68 and a lower ange with a channel 12 between them. These channels receive the hereinbefore described trunnions 64 which rest upon the lower flanges 'I0 and travel horizontally within the channels 12 and strike abutments 14 and 16 which close the front and rear ends, respectively, of each channel. Thus, when the slides are projected from the front of the cabinet l(see Fig. 4) the trunnions 64 turn in the channels 12 of the projecting ends of the slides 66 which have been projected by the striking of the trunnions against the abutments 'I4 at the outer ends of the channels '|2. When however, the panel is thrust back into the housing, the trunnions 64 strike the abutments 76 at the inner ends of the channels 'l0 and move'the slides rearwardly. When the panel is within the housing, it is supported (see Fig. by the lower flanges 10 of the slides 66 by reason of the fact that the lateral margins of the panels rest upon said flanges. It will be observed that the panel is narrower than the space between the upper flanges 68'and hence is not received in the channels 12 in the slides 66. The front ends of thelower anges 10 (see Fig. 13) are narrowed as at 'I8 so that there will be no interference with the rotation of the trunnions 64.

The panel supporting slides 66 are supported and guided by xed guides 80 (see Fig. 12) each having anarrow upper flange 82 and a relatively wider lower ange 84 and between them a channel 86 (see Fig. 16) in which a panel supportporting slide 66 travels. The travel is limited by appropriate means such as movable abutments 88 (see Fig. 14) which in this example are formed in the slide as by lancing the'flange 10 to form tongues which are bent downwardly to occupy and travel in slots 90 in the ange 84, best shown in Fig. V12, the extent of travel being that required to project the slides the proper distance from the front of the cabinet as seen in Fig. 2, for example. l

By turning the panel 30 (see Fig. 3) on the swivelled connection with the panel support 48 into a position out of registration with said support, the l-ateral margins of the panel may be removed from possible interference with the slides 66 and the panel and panel support canl then be skewed laterally (see the broken line position) until one trunnion (at the left) is withdrawn from beneath the flange 68, whereupon that trunnicn may be lifted and then the -second trunnion withdrawn from the channel 'I2 in the 18, valso support a ceiling plate 94 resting upon the upper ends of the uprights and having upturned lateral flanges 96.

It is desirable that arrangements be made to prevent unauthorized access to the file, and to that end the cabinet is equipped with means now to be described for locking the panels in place. This is accomplished in a simple and convenient manner by the use of a common locking bar 98 which can be housed above the ceiling plate 94 (see Figs. 17, 18 and 19) within a channel bar guide |00 affixed to the top of said plate and having at its rear end a stop |02 to limit rearward movement of the locking bar. The locking bar (see Fig. 9) extends through an opening |04 in the front wall of the housing, and its forward movement through this opening is limited as by providing the rear end of the bar with lugs |06 which strike the inner face of said front wall and provide also a fulcrum about which said bar may then be rocked downwardly (see Fig. 1'7) into the broken line approximately vertical position there shown.

The locking bar is like a hasp and has a slot |08 (see Fig. 19) which will receive a lug ||0 (see Fig. 17) provided with an opening ||2 to receive a small padlock, which when locked prevents unauthorized access to the records. Thus, the one locking bar locks all the panels, but when housed, as in Fig. 17, is entirely out of the way. The convenience of this arrangement will readily be appreciated.

Having thus described one embodiment of the invention, what I claim is:

1. In a filing cabinet, the combination of a housing open at the front and having two vertical side walls, a horizontal drawer panel within said housing and between said side walls, a horizontal panel support Within said housing and between said walls, a swivel connection between the rear end of said panel and said support and having its axis lengthwise of the lateral edges of said panel, panel and support guiding means supported by said side walls and having provision for projection of said panel and said swivel connection in a horizontal plane beyond the front of said housing, and cooperating means on the rear of said panel and the front of said support normally to prevent turning of said panel about said axis.

2. In a filing cabinet, the combination of a housing open at the front and having two vertical Vside walls, a horizontal drawer panel within said housing and between said side walls, a horizontal panel support within said housing and between said walls, a swivel connection between the rear end of said panel and said support and having its axis lengthwise of the lateral edges of said panel, panel and support guiding means supported by said side Walls and having provision for projection lof said panel, said support, and said swivel connection in a horizontal plane beyond the front'of said housing, and cooperating means on the` rear of saidpanel and the front of said support normally to prevent turning of said panel about said axis. 3. In a ling cabinet, the combination of a housing open at the front `and having two vertical side walls, a horizontal drawer panel within said housing and between said side walls, a horizontal panel support within said housing and between said walls, a swivel connection between the rear end of said panel and said support and having its axis lengthwise of the lateral edges of said panel, paneland support guiding means supported by said side walls and having provision for projection of said panel and said swivel connection in a horizontal plane beyond the front of said housing, and cooperating means on the rear of said panel and the front of said support to limit rotation of said panel in one direction about said axis.

4. In a fili-ng cabinet, the combination of a housing open at the frontland having two vertical side walls, a horizontal drawer panel within said housing and between said side walls, a horizontal panel support within said housing and between said walls, a swivel connection between the rear end of said panel and said support and having its axis lengthwise of the lateral edges of said panel, panel and support guiding means supported by said side walls and having provision for projection of said panel and said swivel connection in a, horizontal plane beyond the front of said housing, and cooperating means on the rear of said panel and the front of said support normally to limit rotation of said panel in each direction.

5. In a ling cabinet, the combination of a housing open at the front and having two vertical side walls, a horizontal drawer panel within said housing and between said side walls, a horizontal panel support within said housing and between said walls, a swivel connection between the rear end of said panel and said support and having its axis lengthwise of the lateral edges of said panel, panel and support guiding means supported by said side walls and having provision for projection of said panel and said swivel connection in a horizontal plane beyond the front of said housing, and a yielding detent to resist rotation of said panel abdut said axis.

6. In a iiling cabinet, the combination of a .housing open at the front and having two vertical side walls, a'horizontal drawer panel within said housing and between said side walls, a horizontal panel support within said housing and between said walls, a swivel connection between the rear end of said panel and said support and having its axis lengthwise of the lateral edges of said panel, panel and support guiding means supported by said side walls and having provision for projection of said panel and said swivel Connection in a horizontal plane beyond the front of said housing, and means between the rear of said panel and the front of said support to maintain said panel in either of two positions one hundred eighty degrees apart with relation to said support.

'7. In a filing cabinet, the combination of a housing open at the front and having two vertical side walls, a horizontal drawer panel within said housing and between said side walls, a horizontal panel support within said housing and between said walls, a swivel connection between the rear end of said panel and said support and having its axis lengthwise of the lateral edges of said panel, panel and support guiding means supported by said side walls and having provision for projeca horizontal plane beyond the front of said housing, and means between the rear of said panel and the fron-t of said support resisting rotation of said panel about said axis from either of two positions of registration with said support.

8. In a iiling cabinet, the combination of a housing open at the front and having two vertical side walls, a horizontal drawer panel within saidfhousing and between said side walls, a horizontal panel support within said housing and between said -walls, a swivel connection kbetween the rear end of said panel and said support and having its axis lengthwise of the lateral edges of said panel, panel and support guiding means supported by said side walls and having provision for projection of said panel and said swivel connection in a horizontal plane beyond the front of said housing, said support being provided with two notches at opposite sides, respectively, of said axis, and a projection on said panel arranged to enter one or the other of said notches and to limit rotation of said panel about said axis.

9. In a ling cabinet, the combination of a housing having an opening at the front, a pair of horizontal guides within said housing along its lateral sides, a pair of slides guided by said guides and arranged to be projected through said open-` of horizontal guides Within said housing, a pair of distinct horizontal slides guided by said guides and arranged to be projected through said opening beyond the front of said housing, a drawer panel normally within said housing and resting upon said slides, a .bar extending transverselyof and resting upon and movable lengthwise of said slides, and a swivel connection between said panel and said bar and having its axis transverse to said bar, providing for rotation 0f Said panel about said axis when said slides are projected from said housing and when said panel is entirely withdrawn yfrom said housing.

11. In a ling cabinet, the combination of a housing having an opening at the front, a pair of horizontal guides within said housing adjacent opposite sides thereof and having inwardly dij rected slide guiding flanges, a pair of distinct horizontal slides resting upon and guided by said anges and arranged to be projected through said `opening beyondthe front of said housing, said 0 tion of said panel and said swivel connection in 7 slides having inwardly directed panel guiding flanges, a drawer` panel normally within said housing and resting upon said vpanel guiding flanges, a bar extending transversely of and resting upon and movable lengthwise of said panel guiding anges, and a swivel connection between said panel and said bar and having its axis transverse to said bar, providing for rotation of said panel about said aXis when said slides are projected from said housing and when said panel is entirely withdrawn from said housing.

ROY E. WELLS. 

